Review – Gabriel Keller – Hope Despite Everything – by John Wenlock-Smith

This second album from French musician Gabriel Keller is an album of two distinct parts, on one hand you have a treatise on the horrors of war seen through the eyes of a soldier on the front line, the other part of the album is much more light hearted in nature and traces the journey of a drop of water from glaciers and the northern lights to the sands of the Sahara desert. It concludes a quest for inner peace and an ode to love. So it is, in essence, quite an interesting musical album ranging from gentle acoustic numbers to heavier Porcupine Tree musical styles.

The album begins with a brief introduction, Why?, which introduces the first part of the album with sound effects of war. Guns, rockets and military sounds set the scene very and this leads into The Letter – Part 1, in which the soldier shares his torment of being on the front line and his mother, who longs for her sons safe return. This track verges between Rush-like guitar sounds and a harder edged sound interspersed with the fine vocals of Emi B. It also has symphonic touches too which makes for a somewhat unusual sound. It is a great sound though with some great guitar fills and solo’s. The Guns Are Approaching  emphasises both the futility of the war that is taking place around him and the fact that it is also drawing closer every day. It opens delicately and acoustically before a more punishing riff is introduced, adding a more metallic sound, more like European power metal. This is another strong piece overall and the vocals from Emi B again make a strong impression, as does Gabriel’s soaring guitar solo and playing. The Letter – Part 2 opens with eerie sound effects and a distorted guitar playing harmonics and arpeggios. This is the album’s longest track at just shy of ten minutes duration and has great dynamics among a lot going on. This song also has more than a passing nod to Rush in the guitar playing (shades of La Villa Strangiato). More guitar and power chords are at play here as the track gathers impetus making this the most compelling piece on the album, mixing its styles and sounds in a most satisfying manner.

My Son is a plea for the return of the mother’s son from the frontline. The vocals are superb as they harmonise on this sad plea. No Surrender and Oppression are about standing in opposition to submission in the face of difficulties. The former is a more traditional rock number with definite Rush influences and touches, I’ve noticed this in other albums I reviewed from French outfits like Pryzme. Obviously, Rush made an impact on French musical styles over the years, mainly their post 70’s epic period. The latter song continues this theme of solidarity and resistance, opening with the Cello of Lucie Lacour. This is another harder sounding track with good rhythmic switches in style that really sound great. There is a lot of inventiveness within this track, possibly one of the best for me, after the both parts of The Letter.

We then move into the second part of the album which is more acoustically driven, although the cello is evident in parts. Poussi​è​res Eternelles is sung in French and sounds suitably ethereal in style and tone. Your Way has more excellent guitar playing, mainly acoustic with electric embellishments, which sounds really good, I like this track a lot, it’s very positive and uplifting. Change is the album’s penultimate piece and has a real swing to it with long suspended chords that have a jazzy touch to them The great vocals from Emi B again make a good impact. I love how this song shimmers and sways very elegantly making it very cosmopolitan sounding There is a superb guitar solo as well that really sounds excellent. Mahaut is an ode to love. This is a slightly downbeat, subdued piece with lots of intricate guitar fills and is a fitting conclusion to a most interesting album.

‘Hope Despite Everything’ is a very impressive collection of songs with some strong performances and material, all of which are imaginatively portrayed. This album is most definitely worth a listen If you can!

Released June 23rd, 2024.

Order from bandcamp here:

https://gabrielkeller.bandcamp.com/album/hope-despite-everything

Review – Jordan Rudess – Permission To Fly – by John Wenlock-Smith

Jordan Rudess is best known as the current keyboard player for progressive metal giants Dream Theater, who he joined over  20 years ago. During this time he has contributed significantly to their ever evolving sound, mainly because of his development company that produces new technologies for musicians.

Jordan is certainly an intelligent and articulate musician who is always pushing the boundaries in some way or another but he is also a solo artist in his own right. This new album, ‘Permission To Fly’, sees him joining forces with a hand picked collection of musicians to make a classic prog rock album. His choice of musical compatriots throws up some interesting choices, Steve Dadaian, by trade a highly acclaimed cosmetic dentist who is also a keen shredder (guitarist), along with Devin Townsend’s drummer Darby Todd. For the vocals, Jordan turned to Joe Payne (formerly of The Enid) who also works for the likes of John Holden, amongst others,  while also maintaining his own solo career. Jordan was highly impressed by Joe and reached out to him for this album.

The album opens with The Final Threshold which features a stunning opening keyboard segment full of bombast (very ELP!) which then fades to a gentle piano before Joe begins singing softly but with his very expressive and wide vocal range. The album has just nine tracks (two extra on the initial CD release) and has a mixture of styles from ballads to all out prog rock tracks. Into The Lair is something of an epic track with a very strong vocal from Joe and you can see why Jordan chose him for this project. There is also a great bass solo in this track and a fiery guitar solo by Chilean guitarist Bastian Martinez. This track has it all, storming keyboards, brilliant guitar playing and above it all soars Joe’s sterling vocal performance. Haunted Reverie has discordant and eerie keyboards setting the scene. With its supernatural theme, this is a slightly unsettling track but very well delivered. All the lyrics for this album come from Jordan’s daughter Ariana.

The Alchemist is another longer track initially driven by keyboards. There’s a rather unusual mid-section vocal part which is very different from what you heard before and it’s possibly unhinged or mad, it certainly makes you take notice! The song has a sad ending when the Alchemist realises his life’s work is futile and has accomplished nothing of any worth and he is, after all, just a man. Embers is far more normal sounding and has an excellent piano motif that runs throughout (just like on Bowie’s Life On Mars) and an epic guitar solo that plays out the track superbly. Shadow Of The Moon opens with a very gothic sounding piano and drums. The song is about space exploration and the possibilities that this offers to the world but also of the potential risks we. The track ends with an extended keyboard outworking in conjunction with the superb bass.

Eternal is very much like Dream Theater in places, certainly more familiar territory for Jordan, the opening eventually gets to the vocals at the 2.40 mark! This is another good track, albeit it a tad Andrew Lloyd-Webber in style at times. There is a definite operatic or musical theatre leaning tot he song, albeit with a very prog style musical backing making it most impressive really. For what is a love song, this has some excellent keyboard parts from Jordan. Footsteps In The Snow is a more even tempo track with great lyrics. This track appears to be about the brevity of life and about the memories that remain behind, a rather philosophical track overall. The album concludes with an instrumental entitled Dreamer, full of deep chords and swirls of keyboard voices It is all very ethereal sounding and very stately and a great ending.

‘Permission To Fly’ is a real roller-coaster ride of an album, from bombastic thunder to gentle melodies and all points in between. This is a highly impressive album and one that befits the highly acclaimed Jordan Rudess. Whether this is a one off remains to be seen so, for now, dig in. In places it is totally weird but most enjoyable with it! Highly recommended indeed.

Released 6th September, 2024.

Order from this link:

https://jordanrudess.lnk.to/PermissionToFly

Review – Steve Howe – Guitarscape – by John Wenlock-Smith

Inspiration can come in many forms and as a result of many different factors and influences, such as a new experience or a new relationship or a trip somewhere new that strikes a chord within. These Inspirations can be worked out in a number of different ways.

Such is the case with this new album from iconic Yes guitarist Steve Howe, whose creative juices were extremely stirred by his purchase of a new keyboard. This meant Steve had to become deeply acquainted with his new purchase to the extent that he composed these tracks for this latest solo album. Solo, although utilising the percussive talents of his son Dylan Howe, with whom he recorded the 2020 release ‘Love Is’.

‘Guitarscape’ is totally instrumental in tone and Steve’s recent acquisition of a Novatron Summit keyboard was the inspirational basis behind the album. As always, Steve offers the listener a variety of styles, both electric and acoustic, performed on a variety of Steve’s classic guitars, a breakdown of which guitars are used for each track are noted in the album’s booklet.

So enough preamble let’s detail exactly what this album offers the listener…

The album commences with the driving electric guitar track Hail Storm in which Steve really cuts loose with some fiery guitar runs and fills. Spring Board has a country music feel to it and, again, shows Steve’s mastery of tone and styling. There is some very technical and proficient playing on display here with the keyboard tones adding warmth and depth. It’s a really fine track that works very well. Distillations is an acoustic number that shows fabulous playing and a sympathetic keyboard sound that gives this track depth too. Up Stream opens with keyboard swirls and electric guitar. The track relies heavily on volume swells and sustained notes and Steve seems to be getting in touch with his inner David Gilmour, as it follows a similar sort of sound, to these ears at least. Secret Mission is another fleet-fingered acoustic track where the really delicate finger work makes for a memorable piece.

Passing Thoughts is another brief acoustic piece that follows a similar line to the previous track withSteve showcasing his impressive skills. Touch The Surface sees Steve using a tremolo effect on his guitar tone, rather impressively it has to be said too! The good thing about this album is that it offers listeners a showcase of Steve’s highly impressive, tasteful and varied guitar styles. In addition, nothing is very long so tracks and styles change rapidly, which is a good thing I feel. Spring Rhyme, in line with its title, has a real bounce to its step. It is a very short, but very fine, track. On Equinox we find Steve playing pedal steel guitar very effectively and Seesaw revisits the acoustic guitar tones in another very brief track.

The keyboard voicing sets the tone for acoustic track Gone West. Steve’s delicate fretwork also supporting the track well. It is the albums longest track and I rather like it a lot. Suma is a brief electric interlude that leads into the album’s penultimate piece, Spring Tide. Another shorter electric track where lots of interesting runs and fills play off good rhyming support from the keyboards and Dylan’s excellent drumming. The album closes with Steel Breeze an electric pedal steel guitar piece that Steve does so well. I like the way he has doubled the guitar at various points, it really sounds great.

‘Guitarscape’ is an interesting and different sort of album for Steve and one that offers a snapshot of where he is now at seventy seven years of age. His prowess and skills thankfully show no significant sign of deterioration or decline, for which we should all being thankful. It is proof that Inspiration is never that far away.

This may not be to everyone’s tastes but the more musically inclined will find much to appreciate here.

Released 27th September, 2024.

Order the album here:

https://lnk.to/hkKdov

John Wenlock-Smith Interviews Steve Hackett

John Wenlock-Smith: So ‘The Lamb Lies Down’ gets its own outing, much to the fans delight. How much of it are you doing exactly?

Steve Hackett: We’re doing nine songs from it. I chose tracks that work as songs by themselves, as most folks will be familiar with the story already.

JWS: Will be you be recording the show and, if so, where?

SH: Yes, we’re recording the last UK show at The Royal Albert Hall, I’ll be joined by my brother John that night too.

JWS: Amanda Lehmann, is with you this time as well?

SH: Yes, Amanda asked if she could do the whole tour this time. It will be great having her with us full time, joining the old boys club!

JWS: So we’ll get a full version of Shadow of the Hierophant then?

SH: Yes, rather than the crescendo that we’ve done on previous tours. It really needs a female vocalist, as it was originally done with Sally Oldfield. Amanda does a great version of it, it’s a great track that had a young Phil Collins on drums.

JWS: So what’s next for you Steve?

SH: Well I’ve been working on some live acoustic stuff. I have also been writing stuff for the next album, no idea when that will be though! In addition, I’ve also been working some more with Steve Rothery on an album we’ve been working on and off for the past year or more. I’ve been playing some harmonica for that as Steve likes that and I enjoy doing it too.

JWS: I saw John and his band a few rimes this year, they were excellent. He has a new album coming out this year.

SH: I spoke with him yesterday and he’s coming here tomorrow. We’re having a family visit, for which I need to find cutlery and plates! We’re a busy lot us Hackett’s!

JWS: So it would seem!

SH: Growing up, I guess you could say we were industrious. Dad would be paintng his pictures in the front room, John would be practising his flute and I’d be off in my bedroom playing the guitar! Aah, those were the days!

JWS: Your friend Nick Fletcher has a new album coming out in October, called ‘A Longing For Home”.

SH: What sort of style is it?

JWS: Progressive jazz/rock fusion, he has some highly acclaimed musicians like Anika Niles and a Norwegian keyboard player.

SH: Is that Lalle Larson?

JWS: No it’s a guy called Jan Gunnar Hoff. Again, highly respected by his peers. I’m really looking forward to it, should be great.

SH: In amongst all that going on I’m also doing some shows at Trading Boundaries in East Sussex.

JWS: I’ve never been there.

SH: There are hotels nearby.

JWS: For us, it’s a long way from Cheshire. It’s a place I’d very much like to go to really.

SH: I normally do a couple of acoustic shows around Christmas there. Although I was there last year for the John Wetton tribute show, which was the first time I’d done an electric show there. It was great but very loud!

John was a good friend of mine, we’d often do a version of All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix together and he did a few shows with me over the years, Tokyo and a few revisited ones too. I do miss him, he was a very funny man and a good friend to me.

So, all in all, plenty of things going on at present. As I said, we’ve just moved house and we’re living out of boxes and I’ve got to go and get some cutlery and plates as we can’t easily find the ones we packed! So it’s all a little hectic at present.

Anyway I’d better dash as these shortages won’t rectify themselves. Seeing as we have the family around on Thursday I need to to get the place prepared for their arrival. I’d best go, so keep well and we’ll speak again no doubt.  I’ll see you both in Stoke in a few weeks time where I hope you will enjoy the ‘Lamb Lies Down’ show, as much as I do performing it!

Review – Meer – Wheels Within Wheels

Meer are an eight piece Norwegian prog outfit based around the vocals of Knut and Johanne Nesdal (brother and sister) who meld together progressive rock with distinctly pop leanings. In doing so they offer a rather different soundscape, this, combined with the excellent vocals, makes for some rather unusually satisfying music. This album, ‘Wheels Within Wheels’, is their third following on from 2021’s ‘Playing House’ and their earlier debut album, ‘Meer’, from 2016.

Meer have been getting a lot of attention in prog circles of late and this latest release can only aid them in their own musical journey so let’s delve in and see what this album offers, shall we?

I have to say this is the first encounter I’ve had with Meer and whilst not entirely converted to the cause, I certainly do find lots here to enjoy. Opening track Chain of Changes begins with delicate piano lines and some rather subtle electronics before a more strident melody is introduced. It certainly captures the attention with the excellent vocals of Johanne and Knut, who together sound really good, clear and strong with great dynamics and crafting an expansive sound. The song returns to the earlier melody and it is rather stately in places, this track really impresses greatly. Behave begins with an upfront bass line and a sultry vocal from Knut, along with a bit of whistling and some viola backing. There’s a very strong chorus to this track and great backing vocals from Johanne and this allows Knut free reign for his expressive vocal. The strings really play their part gracefully on this track, the song is excellent and very strong. Take Me To The River is equally as impressive with some more great bass work underpinning the joint vocals of Knut and Johanne. Again, sensitive and delicate support from the other musicians definitely help with this excellent track. A dazzling guitar flourish from Eivind Strømstad helps the track gather momentum as it hurtles towards its conclusion. It is very impressive stuff all told. You know I said I wasn’t converted to their cause? Well I think that I may just be by this opening salvo of these first three tracks, which have shown me afresh what all the fuss is about.

Come To Light opens seductively with another shifting bass line, delicate piano and a very seductive vocal from Joanne. Once again this music is spellbinding and it creeps up and overwhelms you with its brilliance and understatement. This is where Meer score large, with great arrangements that grab your attention with their sheer musicality. It is simply gorgeous stuff that is excellent and most satisfying to experience. Golden Circle follows with some further great guitar work from Eivind, whose chord play makes for a wonderful cauldron of sounds that set the stage for the vocals of Knut and Johanne who sing together so wonderfully. The groove returns to that opening section and, as the song moves into the chorus once again, you are caught up and swept away by the emotion of it all, simply an incredible track. I am getting deeply impressed with this album. To What End opens with more syncopated guitar fills, all set against Joanne’s earnest vocal and, when Knut joins in, the song gathers in its intensity. This track has a harder edge at certain points and has great dynamics to it. Today Tonight Tomorrow features a mostly Knut vocal. This is a slow burner of a song, I like the build of the track, how it has peaks and valleys in the same song, another highly impressive track with an excellent vocal.

World Of Wonder is a very brief track that acts as a bridge to Mother, this has an orchestral motif to open with and the lyrics are a little darker in tone. The song suggests a loss of innocence and the desire for connection and inclusion. This is Meer at their most vulnerable, there is both beauty and depth to this track and it is quite mesmerising really. The penultimate song is Something In The Water, which begins with some heavy guitar alongside an almost ethereal vocal from Johanne, with assistance from Knut at key points. The subject appears to allude to hidden things being brought to the light, although I could be very wrong of course. What I do know is that it is another fine track which leads to the album’s last and longest track, This Is The End. This song adapts a harder tone, almost Porcupine Tree-like at times. The dynamics on this track are most enticing and agreeable and I like how it plays out its mixture of soft and brutal within the same track, it works really well.

I have to say that repeated listens to this album have allowed me to appreciate it more fully and I can certainly appreciate the crafting that has gone into making the album sound as good as it does here. ‘Wheels Within Wheels’ is a most worthy album and one that will hopefully win Meer many new fans.

Released 23rd August, 2024.

Order from bandcamp here:

Wheels Within Wheels | Meer (bandcamp.com)

BEARDFISH announce ‘Songs For Beating Hearts’; first new studio album in nearly 9 years

Cult Swedish progressive rockers Beardfish began playing their first live shows together this year since breaking up in 2016, and now they are very pleased to announce the release of a brand new studio album titled ‘Songs For Beating Hearts’ on the 1st November 2024 (InsideOutMusic). Coinciding with this announcement is the launch of a brand new single titled ‘In The Autumn’, a piece of music that some may recognise from their recent live dates. This song is a duet between Rikard Sjöblom & guest vocalist Amanda Örtenhag.  Watch the video now here:

“I think the reunion became an idea in 2021, a few years ago,” explains Rikard Sjöblom. “We started talking about doing something. People had made amends, and I guess everyone started missing being in a band together, and missing each other! We all kept in touch, and things ended up on the right foot in many aspects, and then we started talking about maybe meeting up and trying to play something. I had a couple of new songs written, and they really sounded like Beardfish, and I had some instrumental doodles that I was working on. So we met up and tried to play. The first thing we played was Without Saying Anything from Mammoth, and we started jamming and it felt like home, even after many years. I felt like, ‘These are my brothers!’

With strong echoes of past glories but a whole new vibe of wistful wonderment, Songs For Beating Hearts is a glowing testament to the magic that happens when these four musicians join forces. From the dreamy melancholy of the opening Ecotone and the intricate opulence of five-part sprawl Out In The Open, to the prog-friendly pastoralism of bittersweet 11-minute epic Beating Hearts, and the sobering prog-noir of the closing Torrential Downpour, Beardfish have not just made their strongest work to date, but also their most emotionally resonant. Loosely held together by thoughts of love, loss, friendship and finality, Songs For Beating Hearts is the sound of four kindred spirits laying their hearts bare. 

‘Songs For Beating Hearts’ will be available as a Limited CD Digipak (including one bonus track), Gatefold LP & as Digital Album, all featuring artwork from longtime collaborator Spencer Keala Bowden, and can be pre-ordered now here:

Beardfish – In the Autumn (lnk.to)

The full track-listing is as follows:

1.         Ecotone 04:30

2.         Out in the Open 20:33

3.         Beating Hearts 11:01

4.         In The Autumn 05:58

5.         Ecotone (Reprise) 00:43

6.         Torrential Downpour 08:29

7.         Ecotone – Norrsken 1982 edition (Bonus Track) 06:13

Beardfish originally formed back in 2001, and today are made up of Rikard Sjöblom, David Zackrisson, Magnus Östgren and Robert Hansen. They released eight studios albums up until their disbandment in 2016 The band are confirmed for 2025’s edition of Cruise To The Edge.

DELUXE HARDBACK BOOK EDITION OF PORCUPINE TREE’S ICONIC 2007 ALBUM FEAR OF A BLANK PLANET ANNOUNCED

SET FOR RELEASE ON 25th OCTOBER 2024 ON THE TRANSMISSION LABEL

Pre-order the new 2024 6-disc edition of FOABP Here:

Porcupine Tree – Fear Of A Blank Planet Deluxe 6 Disc Box Set (lnk.to)

London label Transmission have announced a new edition of Porcupine Tree’s Grammy-nominated 2007 album Fear Of A Blank Planet. With a 112-page hardback book, five CDs, and a Blu-ray disc, the new edition includes remasters of Fear Of A Blank Planet and the Nil Recurring mini album, approximately 55 minutes of previously unreleased demos, an early live performance of a still work-in-progress version of the album, as well as BBC and instore session recordings – the most complete collection of the album and related material to date.

The set consists of:

112-Page Hardback Book: The centrepiece of this collection is a 112-page book, with an in-depth examination of the process of creating the album by Stephen Humphries with interviews, alongside rare photographs from photographers Lasse Hoile & Carl Glover.

Disc 1 (CD): 2024 remaster of Fear Of A Blank Planet.

Disc 2 (CD): 2024 remaster of Nil Recurring EP.

Disc 3 (CD): Approx 55 minutes of previously unreleased demos by both band and Steven Wilson, offering a rare insight into the creative process for the album, including 2 tracks not recorded for the final album.

Disc 4 (CD): A live recording of a work-in-progress version of the album made at The Garage, Saarbrucken on 23rd September 2006, while the band were still refining and developing the material.  This has been mixed from the multitrack tapes for the first time for this edition.

Disc 5 (CD): A 5 track BBC radio session (Maida Vale Studios, 13th April 2007) plus an 8-song acoustic / unplugged in-store performance from Park Avenue, Orlando (4th October 2007).

Disc 6 (Blu-ray): Includes remastered stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes of Fear Of A Blank Planet and Nil Recurring, as well as a new 2024 documentary – ‘The Making of Fear Of A Blank Planet’. Also features 3 music videos, 3 songs performed live on film at The Palladium, Koln (4th December 2007) and 2 live visual films (‘Sleep Together’ and ‘Anesthetize’).

“an aggressively modern merger of Rush’s arena art rock, U.K. prog classicism —especially Pink Floyd and King Crimson — and the post-grunge vengeance of Tool”

Rolling Stone

Originally released in 2007, Fear Of A Blank Planet is Porcupine Tree’s ninth studio album and both band and fans alike consider it to be a high point in their catalogue. Their biggest selling album at the time, it was the band’s first album to break into the Billboard Top 100 in the USA as well as charting significantly across Europe, earning them a Grammy nomination in the process. The album includes guest appearances from Robert Fripp (King Crimson) & Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson and featured in Rolling Stone Magazine’s Greatest Prog Albums Of All Time as well as being named Classic Rock’s Album of the Year in 2007.

A concept album inspired by the Bret Easton Ellis novel Lunar Park, Fear Of A Blank Planet’s lyrics address how the adolescent protagonist battles his terminal boredom and attention-deficit disorders with a regimen of prescription drugs, TV, computer gaming, mindless violence, empty sex, and self-harm.

Following the release of Fear Of A Blank Planet in 2007, Porcupine Tree solidified their reputation as one of the rock’s most celebrated bands with their 2009 release The Incident garnering critical acclaim and earning the band another Grammy nomination. After a significant hiatus while members moved on to other projects, 2022’s highly anticipated return with Closure/Continuation demonstrated the band’s unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of their sound.

FEAR OF A BLANK PLANET DELUXE TRACKLISTING

DISC 1

1. Fear Of A Blank Planet (2024 Remaster) [07:28]

2. My Ashes (2024 Remaster) [05:09]

3. Anesthetize (2024 Remaster) [17:52]

4. Sentimental (2024 Remaster) [05:26]

5. Way Out Of Here (2024 Remaster) [07:37]

6. Sleep Together (2024 Remaster) [07:28]

DISC 2

1. Nil Recurring (2024 Remaster) [06:15]

2. Normal (2024 Remaster) [07:08]

3. Cheating The Polygraph (2024 Remaster) [07:10]

4. What Happens Now? (2024 Remaster) [08:24]

5. Fear Of A Blank Planet (Tour Live intro) [02:02]

DISC 3

1.Fear Of A Blank Planet (Demo) [07:01]

2. My Ashes (Demo) [05:09]

3. Anesthetize (Demo) [16:49]

4. Sentimental (Demo) [05:03]

5. Cheating The Polygraph (Demo) [07:07]

6. Sleep Together (Demo) [07:26]

7. Always Recurring (Demo) [03:49]

8. Hey Sleeper (Demo) [03:36]

DISC 4

1. Fear Of A Blank Planet (Live at Garage, Saarbrucken, 23 September 2006) [09:05]

2. My Ashes (Live at Garage, Saarbrucken, 23 September 2006) [05:44]

3. Anesthetize (Live at Garage, Saarbrucken, 23 September 2006) [17:12]

4. Sentimental (Live at Garage, Saarbrucken, 23 September 2006) [05:07]

5. Cheating The Polygraph (Live at Garage, Saarbrucken, 23 September 2006) [06:58]

6. Sleep Together (Live at Garage, Saarbrucken, 23 September 2006) [08:11]

DISC 5

1. Blackest Eyes (BBC Session, Maida Vale, 13 April 2007) [04:27]

2. Fear Of A Blank Planet (BBC Session, Maida Vale, 13 April 2007) [07:29]

3. Sleep Together (BBC Session, Maida Vale, 13 April 2007) [07:20]

4. The Pills I’m Taking (BBC Session, Maida Vale, 13 April 2007) [05:58]

5. Halo (BBC Session, Maida Vale, 13 April 2007) [05:42]

6. The Sky Moves Sideways (Live in-store performance, Park Avenue, Orlando, 4 October 2007) [04:02]

7. Even Less (Live in-store performance, Park Avenue, Orlando, 4 October 2007) [03:27]

8. Stars Die (Live in-store performance, Park Avenue, Orlando, 4 October 2007) [04:34]

9. Waiting (Live in-store performance, Park Avenue, Orlando, 4 October 2007) [03:52]

10. Normal (Live in-store performance, Park Avenue, Orlando, 4 October 2007) [04:52]

11. Drown With Me (Live in-store performance, Park Avenue, Orlando, 4 October 2007) [04:09]

12. Lazarus (Live in-store performance, Park Avenue, Orlando, 4 October 2007) [04:06]

13. Trains (Live in-store performance, Park Avenue, Orlando, 4 October 2007) [04:28]

DISC 6

1. Fear Of A Blank Planet (5.1) [07:28]

2. My Ashes (5.1) [05:09]

3. Anesthetize (5.1) [17:52]

4. Sentimental (5.1) [05:26]

5. Way Out Of Here (5.1) [07:37]

6. Sleep Together (5.1) [07:28]

7. Nil Recurring (5.1) [06:15]

8. Normal (5.1) [07:08]

9. Cheating The Polygraph (5.1) [07:10]

10. What Happens Now? (5.1) [08:24]

11. Fear Of A Blank Planet (Video) [04:19]

12. Way Out Of Here (Video) [04:17]

13. Normal (Video) [03:52]

14. Sleep Together (Live Visual Film) [07:32]

15. Anesthetize (Live Visual Film) [17:14]

16. Fear Of A Blank Planet (Video – Live at Palladium, Koln, 4 December 2007) [08:37]

17.Anesthetize (Video – Live at Palladium, Koln, 4 December 2007) [17:14]

18. Sleep Together (Video – Live at Palladium, Koln, 4 December 2007) [08:03]

19. The Making Of Fear Of A Blank Planet (Documentary Film) [48:23]

The new edition of Fear Of A Blank Planet will be released on Transmission on 25th October 2024.

Pre-order here:

Porcupine Tree – Fear Of A Blank Planet Deluxe 6 Disc Box Set (lnk.to)

The Weever Sands Announce New Abum, “Moonfish. Songs of Love And Water”, for release on 31st October.

On their fourth album, The Weever Sands take their listeners to the gentle, soothing, and peaceful side of the ocean. The magnificent title track follows the beautiful Moonfish on a day’s journey from the sunlit surface to the deep waters and back again, starting by daybreak until the soft whale song lays him to sleep. The main track is framed by two tracks that act like siblings, drawing their inspiration from literature and flowing like crystal-clear rivers to the sea. Combining elements of Folk, Prog, Minimal, Ambient, and classical music and dealing with the issue of inner peace and self-love, The Weever Sands provide a listening experience full of elegant tunes, delicate and fragile acoustic fabrics, friendly and sometimes dreamy moods, a grain of humour, and high-class virtuosity.

More details to follow, including pre-order…

FROST* return with their new double concept album ‘Life In The Wires’

UK progressive rockers Frost* are pleased to announce the release of their brand new double concept album ‘Life In The Wires’, due out 18th October 2024 via InsideOutMusic. “Every prog band worth their salt really should do a double album, shouldn’t they?” asks Frost* frontman Jem Godfrey. “We’ve always kind of had this idea of wanting to do one. So I sat down last summer and thought, well, I’m just gonna have to get my head down and go for it.”

Today also sees the launch of the first track taken from the album, the first part of the album’s epic title track. Watch the video for ‘Life In The Wires, Part 1’, created by Christian Rios/Ray of Light Films, here: 

Stream the single & pre-order the album here: 

Frost* – Life in the Wires, Pt. 1 (lnk.to)

“It’s actually a continuation from Day and Age” explains Godfrey, “the first track on the new album starts with the end of the last track from that album “Repeat to Fade,” where the static comes up and a voice says “Can you hear me?”. I remember putting that in when we did Day and Age as a possible little hook for the future; a character somewhere out there in Day and Age land trying to be heard. What does he want to say? Can anybody hear him? Day and Age kind of sets up the world that this character lives in and Life In The Wires tells his story”.

The story revolves around the main character Naio, an aimless kid heading for a meaningless future in an A.I. run world. He hears an old DJ talking on the ancient AM radio his mother once gave him and decides to trace the source of the signal and find “Livewire” to see if there’s a better future out there. However, the All Seeing Eye is less than impressed at this bid for independent thought and fights back. Soon Naio finds himself pursued across the country by an outraged mob as he tries to locate the home of Livewire and his freedom. Tune in at www.lifeinthewires.com and see if you can hear Livewire on the radio.

Helping create this parallel world are the “classic” Frost* lineup of guitarist John Mitchell, bassist Nathan King, and returning drummer Craig Blundell.

Fans of the band’s masterful debut album Milliontown (2006) will enjoy the band revisiting the style that made that debut album one of the most successful prog rock albums of the last 20 years, a fact that was not lost on Godfrey as he was writing this new record.

“With Day and Age, we made it a very specific point: we’re not doing any solos, we’ll do clever arrangements. And we enjoyed that discipline, but this time I thought it might be good to row back on that position a bit. Plus, I wanted to have a little bit of a nod to Milliontown with this album, because it’s been nearly 20 years since Milliontown came out and I’m still proud of it. The 15-minute title track has a few of those Milliontown moments in it which were great fun to do again.” 

‘Life In The Wires’ will be available as a Limited 2CD, Gatefold 180g 2LP & as Digital Album, with subtle difference across the 3 formats for added interest. The album features artwork design by Carl Glover, who also designed the cover of ‘Day And Age’. The full track listing is as follows:

CD1:

1.     Skywaving 1:57

2.     Life in the Wires, Part 1 5:30

3.     This House Of Winter 6:10

4.     The Solid State Orchestra 6:35

5.     Evaporator 8:09

6.     Strange World 5:09

7.     Idiot Box 4:59

8.     Absent Friends 3:58 

CD2:

1.     School (Introducing The All Seeing Eye) 3:12

2.     Propergander 5:34

3.     Sign Of Life 5.44

4.     Moral And Consequence 8:13

5.     Life in the Wires, Part 2 15:51

6.     Starting Fires 4:40 

Band picture credit Will Ireland.

Review – OZUL – Man On The Shore – by David Edwards

Man on the Shore is a wonderfully intriguing, eclectic and emotionally vibrant album from Ozul – the solo prog-driven project of the Norwegian/Costa Rican documentary filmmaker, Paulo Chavarria. He provides the vocals and plays all the musical instruments – creating a real smorgasbord of progressive rock, electronic-led soundscapes, psychedelic rock, post rock and metal – with a cinematic and ethereal sweep. The music can switch between yearning delicacy to dynamic power, with Paulo’s accented vocal style creating a vulnerability and deeply personal aspect to the narrative of the album.

The first Ozul album, 2023’s Provenance, was an excellent and well-received album which highlighted Paulo’s musical talents and compositional skills, as well as his ability to switch from heavy, driving riff-laden power to atmospheric, introspective fragility, often within a single song. Man on the Shore is cut from the musical cloth, but is a concept album with a unifying theme, concerning a real-life news story of the body of an unknown man, found dead, lying on a fjord. Nobody knew who he was, and no one had reported him missing.

Paulo decided to write a fictional story of what might have happened to him – drawing upon the documentary be directed in 2022 called ‘The Bothersome Father.’ It dealt with the subject of child/parent separation and the complicated political, judicial and emotional issues raised. It related to his own father’s experiences with the breakdown of his first marriage, and how it affected Paulo as a child – so this is certainly has a deeply personal dimension for him.

The story revolves around a man having to fight to keep contact with his child after a divorce, and his efforts, challenges, and tribulations through the process, and ultimately the desperation that leads him to take his own life. The lyrics, not surprisingly. have a powerful, dark intensity to them, but it is the way that the music ebbs and flows to accompany the story that makes the album a compelling listen.

Paulo’s musical influences are varied, and they are often displayed on his Ozul albums. This makes it difficult to pigeon-hole the ever-changing style. For me it was the echo of Steven Wilson/Porcupine Tree and The Pineapple Thief that struck me first, but there are heavier elements such as those of Opeth, Katatonia and Devin Townsend, as well as Leprous. However, the classical and cinematic influences sometimes feel like a Hans Zimmer meets Pink Floyd soundscape, as well. Basically, this is an album you need to listen to, in order to formulate your own interpretation, but in my view, it will definitely be worth your while.

The album starts with the dramatic, pulsating drive of Promise, as the man find himself in the midst of a divorce and he looks at his little child and promises to fight to be a father. There are some nice changes in musical tempo, a yearning guitar solo amongst the swirling keyboards and some slight touches of electronica, both musically and vocally.  How Could I? sees the man remembering that first encounter with his newborn child, and reflects on how now the mother, and the legal system, asks him to ‘let go’.  The track deals with how impossible this task seems to him, and how foolish it is to ask a father for forego his own child. It has a more melancholic, minimalist feel at the start, with resonating piano notes (not unlike the start of Pink Floyd’s ‘High Hopes’), before rhymically building up in intensity. However, a softer guitar-led interlude and some string effects create an unsettling undertow, prior to a bombastic prog metal-edged passage before those opening sad piano notes return.

There is a real sense of yearning frustration with Modus Operandi, as he sees the dishonest machinations of the divorce process trying to separate him from his child – especially those of his wife. The deliberately laborious and plaintive tempo then switches to a more powerful bursts of guitar and retro keyboard chords, swirling chaotically through to the end.  In Kafta World, starting with the sound of a phone message, the man now feels on autopilot, trapped in an absurd, repeating circle of endless meetings with the court, counsellors and bureaucrats, with no one seemingly able to help him. There is a dreamy, unreal atmosphere here, lifted by some energetic drum patterns, but the tiredness of the man is still felt within the music.

Pariah Caste does provide a refreshing change in tone at this point. Some serene guitar patterns and chords provides a lighter flow and tone, as the father sings to his little son. Paulo says it is about the father’s worries about what is going to happen to his son as he will become a man, in a world where everything masculine seems to be now negative and denigrated in his view. It is about how hurt this father feels on behalf of his child, having to grow up in such a world. The intimacy and love shown is touching, but with the introduction of spoken words imparting future advice, a darker veil is drawn over the music with some unrelenting prog-metal touches not dissimilar to Dream Theater at the end. If there were signs of hope here, it looks like they are starting to fade.

Venus Will Not is a plea to the mother not to make things worse and let the child to keep his father. But here, Venus is no longer the goddess of peace of classic mythology, but now Venus is the goddess of war. The music is dark and hypnotically sinister, with classical elements enhancing the cinematic soundscape (maybe with a touch of Holst’s ‘The Planets’ in the shadows). Meanwhile Coping Mechanism, deals with the strategies the man tirelessly attempts to implement to keep his sanity. A reflection on how much of himself was annihilated under his last relationship, and the rediscovering of his vitality and sexuality, for a time at least. Paulo uses an electronica-themed, robotic, dance-like beat, suggesting a less human character has taken over our protagonist. A nice change of style with almost a rap-like intensity. 

Grievance Entrepreneur is a return to heavier rock style and deep guitar riffs, as the man reflects on the roles of the multitude of experts dealing with his case and living off the grievances and ‘truths’ being revealed, and in his mind, siding with the woman against the man (so often seen as the danger). I’m not usually a fan of the metal death growl, but the snippet here expresses the man’s internal state of mind well – prior to the impersonal spoken word passage in court trotted out to justify these ‘experts’ and the course that the divorce settlement takes. Lost, as the title of the song suggests, just shows how damaged and isolated the man has become. The guitar-led music sways, with acoustic guitar and snatches of lead soloing produce a feeling of melancholic wistfulness. The feeling of helplessness is further highlighted by Admission. Here, it seems his child has become so brainwashed by the process he feels he doesn’t want to meet his father – a blow that seems absolute and final – and the man recognises that the battle is now lost. Lyrically it is a heartbreaking moment, and the rich musical template complements the vocals well. A touch of Rush-like guitar earlier on, but I’m struck by the nods to the likes of his fellow Norwegian compatriots Airbag and Gazpacho here, and throughout much of the album.

After the desolation at the end of the last song, Man On The Shore (Nomen Nescio) has a more up-tempo electronic feel, but the vocals betray what is to come. The man approaches the cliff and reflects on what has happened and the promise he made at the beginning of the story. A promise that he tried to keep, but in the end, failed. He never able to let go of his child inside of him, but he has gone. So the only thing left to let go of now, is himself, as he plunges towards the waves. Some dramatic guitar soloing and sweeping synthesised strings provide a mournful grandeur, but there is a poignancy within this song, and the album as a whole – which ends with a spoken section of news item – reporting the discovery of the body, and also, like many in the past, the unknown deceased would be buried with the Latin phrase ‘Nomen Nescio’ (N.N.) or ‘I do not know the name’ at the funeral.

Paulo, under the project name, Ozul, has produced a dark, moving and narrative for our times. Whatever, the real reasons why this man fell to his death, the story is a powerful one – with a deep, resonant and cathartic musical soundscape. The instrumental playing is of the highest order and the vocals are suitably haunting and integrated. It’s certainly not an easy listen from an emotional viewpoint, with little ray of light coming through any gaps in the dark veil, but it is certainly a rewarding one. I am certainly hoping the promise shown already by the albums Provenance and Man On the Shore is continued in the years to come. Yet again it shows the musical talent and quality, modern progressive rock emanating from Norway in the last decade or so. Check Ozul out on Bandcamp, if you are intrigued by this review.

Released June 21st, 2024 (Digital)

Paulo Chavarria: All instruments, vocals, mix and master

Order from bandcamp here:

Man on the shore | Ozul (bandcamp.com)

Check out Ozul’s website here:

Progressive Rock | Ozul